Associate of convicted ex-Texas judge arraigned

BROWNSVILLE, TX Jose Manuel Longoria is accused of allegedly securing payments for state District Judge Abel C. Limas, who has pleaded guilty to racketeering and awaits sentencing. Limas lost his 2008 bid for re-election to a state district court in Cameron County.

Longoria, of San Benito, also faces a wire fraud count involving $1,800 allegedly sent from Arkansas on behalf of a person on probation and has been charged with conspiring to possess and distribute cocaine.

Last week, former state Rep. Jim Solis pleaded guilty to helping Limas extort money in exchange for favorable rulings. He's free on bond pending sentencing.